When Hate was Washed Away by Love

While the media screamed “hate” the rains fell.

As our eyes took in the scenes of riots and racism and evil the people of God quietly prepared to rescue His precious ones.

Texas.

Streets on which my family drove for five good years became rivers.  Parks where our toddlers played and houses that held memories of little ones rolling on the floor, all abandoned for higher ground.

The people waded desperate, tears of disbelief etching lines in their weary faces as the helpers came.

Picture after picture flickered across my screen.  Did you notice it?  Black police officers tenderly cradling white toddlers as they lifted them out of the dark waters.  White “rednecks” in fishing boats gently carrying black boys to safety.  A Hispanic woman gratefully embracing the freckled, blond-headed young emergency worker as she wept. Over and over the Kingdom of God took care of its own and all the world watched.

The hate took a back seat in the headlines.

Love won.

It always does.

No matter how much the headlines tell  us to believe differently, we must stop listening to their lies.  Yes, racism exists.  It exists on all sides, in all cultures to some degree and it will until Jesus returns and sets everything right.  But it is not the rule of law.  It is not the “norm.”  It is the exception in the minds and hearts of the people of God.  We love.  We love hard and we grieve with those who grieve.  We refuse to form relationships based on the color of your skin or in which neighborhood you live.  We look into faces different than our own and see Jesus.  

This is Christianity.

This is reality.

Don’t let the liars fool you.

Little black boys and little white girls run hand-in-hand every single day.  They are not color blind as some would say, they are color-full.  They see and appreciate and celebrate the beauty of their differences because that is so much more lovely than pretending the difference don’t exist.  Who wants a party with only white balloons, white cake, white tablecloths, and white presents?  Colorful is JOY-full!  Kids naturally love freely and they love well, and so do most of God’s children.

Don’t let the liars fool you.

As adoption across racial lines has exploded, so has the realization of what makes up God’s family.  We are all one.  One nation.  One Kingdom.  One family.  Your child could easily be mine, and vice versa.  I need you, and you need me in order to run this race well.  I need you to teach me how to care for my daughters’ hair and you need me to snuggle your boys and let them see how love can come from every corner.

Because in the Kingdom of God there are no corners.

I need you to kiss my sons and make them laugh hard and you need me to let your daughter teach me her first language so that I can learn how to say “I love you” and “You are beautiful” in the language closest to her heart.

Because in the Kingdom of God we have one common language…Resurrection.

The world has gone mad, yet we love.  Threats come from across the ocean, yet we sing. Broken bodies are buried too young, yet we hope…together.

This world is not our home, we are just passing through.  It is a grand rehearsal for the banquet the Lord is preparing for those who believe in His son, Jesus.  And I believe. More than ever, I believe.  Despite brokenness and fear, unanswered prayers and sovereign “no’s” to the pleas of my heart, I believe.  Why?  Because there is not one time in my forty-five years of life that God has not used the hard things to bring me to a new intimacy and understanding of who He is.  Not once.  Infertility, loss, illness, rejection, grief…all afflictions that God hates yet allows.  All things that God sent Jesus to die for and all part of what drives me to fall upon His feet for mercy.

He may not answer many prayers how or when we would like, but He always gives mercy.  Always.  There is no pit so deep that His mighty hand is not waiting there, at the bottom, to give us a soft landing.

And we, the children of God?  As we seek and serve Him, as we love hard and love well, we become that soft landing.

Here are some links that will help.

First Baptist Church, Galveston

Clear Creek Community Church

Samaritan’s Purse